This invention relates generally to spherical bearing and the method of making same. In particular, this invention relates to the method of manufacturing inexpensive spherical bearing typically having a sheet metal outer member, an intermediate plastic member and a spherical ball.
More particularly the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a spherical bearing having an outer cylindrical member, an intermediate yieldable plastic member enclosed and supported thereby, said intermediate member having a concave inner surface and a spherical ball in bearing relationship with said intermediate member, said spherical ball having an outer surface complimentary to said concave inner surface of said intermediate member comprising the steps of preforming the outer member into a truncated conical member having a first radially inwardly annular lip formed at one end thereof, preforming the plastic intermediate member wherein substantially one-half of its inner and outer surface conforms generally to its final shape and the remaining portion of said intermediate member emanates outwardly therefrom, inserting said ball within the inner surface of said intermediate member such that a portion of the convex outer surface of said ball intimately engages the preformed concave inner surface of the intermediate member, inserting the intermediate member with the spherical ball contained therein within the outer member, applying a deforming force to the outer surface of the outer member by die means to form the outer member into a cylindrical shape and to deform the plastic intermediate member completely around said spherical ball and to fill the space between said spherical ball and said outer member, deforming the unformed end of said outer around the intermediate member to form a second radially inwardly annular lip and to complete the bearing.
The prior art is replete with various methods of manufacturing spherical bearings. It might be said that there is a constant search for an inexpensive method of manufacturing using relatively low cost material and resulting in a high performance bearing. As with most endeavors of this kind a compromise with some or all of these parameters is required. The compromise typically involves a substantial degradation of the performance characteristics of the bearing or substantial increase in the cost of material or machine and manual labor operations.